Weekly Messenger, Volume 1, Number 50, Vevay, Switzerland County, 28 August 1832 — Page 4

TUB BEARER OP DESPATCHES. Shortly after tlie defeat of the British army at fort Lrie, in the briliant sortie planned and executed by General Brown, that officer

received intelligence that General mrd wus

ai an unfrequented, bui more direct path, which, letidii g in the neighborhood of fort Niagara, then in possession of the enemy, was fraught with danger; but it wag necessarily chosen. A large cloak disguised the

perron of our soldier, concealing his arms and

American valor had been to conspicuously

displayed. A few week before he had pas

sed along the opposite shore in all the fervor of youthful hope and military pride, surrounded b) the pomp and circumstance of glorious war, by the tumult and glitter of an ar my with llying colors, and drum and hearts beating. How the solitary horseman rode

along; the breeze bore not the accents of

men, nor did the distant echo whisper dangei in his ear, but his eye dwelt upon scenet ol interest; well known i-pott ecrasionallv glanced upon hi vision; here an army had been encamped, there a battle fought, and under thote trees slept many a companion! Tuc last r 8 ef the sun fell upon his back.

on his way to join him with a large force. 'military inslgi; and he- hoped, under the A Tew weeks sootier, this intelligence would cover of night, to pass the vicinity of the fort have been highly gratifying. The Ameri. unobserved. B ranid ridintj he reached the

can army' hemmed n by a foe whose num- neighborhood of Schlosser a little before sun-

bers more than quadrupled their own, had set, and being unwilling to approach Queen

oeen ymva in nn embarrassing situation, slown early i the evening he checked his

I he tort was situated on low, flat grour.d,jhorse and rode leisirely along. Cooped up

. u me wei, me con- as ne liad been, he now enjo-ed, v ith an ex

a.ain t. I itu-'iti vi fiiuj ii:t3ll M?tU COM veit' -l liu whole place into one great mud pudjle; the eariison, who were lodged in tents, were ei, osed to continual rains; there was no spot secure from the elements, arid a dry vestment bed. or blanket, was at times not to be found within the lines of the sentinels; while the freqaeit alarm, and the necessary watch aud waid," left only intervals for the broken slumber which refreshes n t. Bit little pay, 1f any, had been received doting th-campaign money there was absolutely none and oui diet w.is necesari ly confined to the ration of meat and bread, which was not f the best kind. The perpetual shower of ca.inon balls and bursting of bomb shell was not a matter of complaint, fjr this was soldiers' luck; to be shot at w our vocation; and as we failed not to amuti

cursulves at the batteries during a part of

every day, we had, at iea?t, the satisfaction of believing that our fallen companion would Hot. like Sciv'o't ghost, "stalk unrevenged amo'.g ue." Out nestling in the mire, and starving, and coughing our lungs away, were Hitters which had not entered ito our contrail with the. government, and on which our commissions, as well a the "rules ai d arti cle?," were silent. It was not so "nominated in th bond." Why could not Uncle Sm ten J us food and physic, and a few lajty fel law? to help us fight! Where there are no lUrpjMfluou nu n, every one who falls leaves a niche; and while we beheld our little forre gradually wasting away, it was provoking enough to reflect that cor country we full f aieo, soire of whom abused us, tome laugh ed at us, n few praised, and none assisted. I may ndd, that the fee had vowed our el termination, and en pup occasion had maim

ed up to oar batteiie. filling the air with the dreadful wr cry, "No qmiter no quarter o the d n Yankees! !" and that ncble spirit ef emulation, that generous contention, and courteous interchange of kindlr effiret upon proper irra,nnn, which should tit anoi e Cil'f"d armies, were a'l swallvwrd nn in

p hate excited hr the rold-bioeded V er lhv er. m. A war. di-ea-. and

If 'binned du- rnks, it teem

oh- - JiprHe should arne the vi tims ef that on . i.f w hi' h our fellow j itiic-, htve had sufJh 0 it country, however, 1 -w not what would

tv? ber, cj ivt it not hern for ore lted-heait-.-i p. r 1 m-in. He was h Quaker gentleman; gi j the Qvnkers, jou knw, are lmed fi her., vp'ence. Slipping .i f ihe fort .e dot, aboat noon, when JtiUn Bull arr d re, rut uf uch a matter, tit oxUri

"I1 home, although it u still upward cf Blrnt It . . .. ..." . . .

"icen mnes distant, and he said he would be

sjiad or our traveller's companv.

uey reacnea the Kalis while daylight et lingered over Ike awful abyss, and the officer wha had beheld this wonderful sight from the opposite shore, proposed lo hit companion to halt, that he might survey it under a nw as-

peui. me latter, who seemed in no haste, cheerfully complied, and even seemed pleased with the opportunity of acting the Cicf rone, and detailing all the wonderful tales extant, in relation to the great cataract. He did not, it is true. ipUip that KurtiricirKT furl

quisite rcli-h, the luxuries of pure air, ei- which Goldsmith has recorded, and Morse erase and liberty. His route lay along the has copied from him, i. e. that the Indians margin of the Niagara river, which now seT; descended these rapids id their canoes, in arated him from those glorions fields which perfect safely ; because, notwithstanding this

the 1

cru ! er h, the d ctor,

ej cvide'if. tiia rive, we mu-t hr, relenting hru.i ST r-s . n .r fciei-i ':-Xper;-ac tillfvH-- .a

and the trtes thiew their chaotic ehaclows'nnd am theref,r uillm tn .t;i ihui it i.

along the path before him. At u-Ji an hour r.ot only a safe but a remarkabh salubrious the eye is most delighlhed wiih the beauti-8nd amusing recreation to paddle a canoe nfr tild l ndsrpe, when the rocks, and down the falls and bark aeait. glens, at d secluded places begin to arkm! Leaving this spot, the officer was conduct, lato th gloom cf twilight, while the sun- ed by his guide to another obi-jet of admirabeams htill ghttr on the lull and tree tops, tion. A short distance below the cataract, or sleep upon the cave. The fciagara was the river, rushing along with the immense tippling along Us mky channel, murmuring velocity acquired by being precipitated from and fretting as it rushed towards th preci- to great a height, suddenly strikes a perpenpice, over whii n its desctmt causes one of the dicular pru i, ice. which juts boldly into the subhmest objects in mitere. These circum- stream from the American side, and the curstanite all cnPiMtrd to wrap the heart ofrent thus thrown abruptly to the left, creates the traveller in sweet and pleasing medita-ja whirlpool, which it mt the lea-t among the tu.n; and he rode ou.epjojmg these dream, curioMtit of this reKion. The officer advanwhich creeping imperceptibly into ycung red to the edgt cf the cliff, and gated in sihearts, hold the imagination entranced inde-jletce nn the foaming current, and its overlight; in irresistible delusions, full of rap-,hang.ne banks, now dimly discovered thro' lure, variety, and beauty. The hour was the gray twilight. Hit reveries were bro washing, the scene picorehque, the very ,ken bv his companion, who narrated a mel

an meioaico., at a me rt amtec Miouno mm anchly tale connected with the Scene of

became melton ed. nd softcred, and tpiritu

aiiz-.d into airy creation i f the fjney. The

niii d. warmed into romantic feeling, gave its

cuslj cut elf about athiid of their army, and iM .'ie

t inn -nee uie ct me tvonet." which thf M,.,i..,-f hi:.:B,ti.. k.j i

tJrin.h tommandtr had r.concndod pos. , ticipe(l ,he p,.,, touch ef time, and had A rj'-nt -ct iMvo, U tavM! hi. own credit ' nU u, tocr'nd slightly tinted his hair rd the throats and .c lps of hi met , who!,;h the t rSy hue cf winter. His blood fc; ei the air with acda.it.oas. Hie enemy, eve. C e Ff hshitut inteaiper completely defeated, retired; ml G .-ral Hnce. hu' there whs prcuUiion in IhtMi, and Ir.,wn, .,t havine force ertoajh lo , ur-u vile speculation it t.: u was th kt-eu

WH) n! ani1 "' Hnku. .nine ttsaJv rlanre cf one who i51 h.. l.mr

' "

own hue to the sur mincin g objects; rude jthfir convoy a number of families with their

! a i -mutar uime iton ui intsmiiN wingt furniture and hageage, were oVeit-kt.n bv

w;,y; vulgar asm i.Uioi.s wrenight in tht vicinity. They ttill proceeded,

MlilN,r j' ui-c.ru mkii mio however, in hone of reaching the fortt be

tr.apes ana inaaet oi nrauij ; o..g!t, na va- low. Ht the French and Indians hn-J form

tied roioift (-II upon the la tdstnpt; creatures of (mk people 1 the shade, and the brctco rruiatuied in nuoibert. Our officer halted a nn-nuMtt at Schlotstr to makr seme inquiries relative to his route, and learning that a ccuntnir.an had jut passed alorg, whose homeward path led in tha very direction desir o, he determined to pro fit by hi companv iud euidince. Spurring hss steed, the re fon , he rode rapidly on. ff'ar the VnU he cvcrlcok the bocr, ploddii g h?nvtly A-ng. He was a nn hole

gctif t outline anrourced tism Ij be of th

. ; but his visage p htced him in the

Concealing his terie of rtie flatr rinV this information implied to his pet sen arifl

tnission. he said carelessly, "V ell, 1 upue'they .11 not f?ist'.ub peaceable travellers?" thpv

don't," was the reply. "Do they ever get out as far as your little village?" 'Oh! yee

Si-iil" "And how do they behave there I "Bad enough, bad enough," and he then proceeded to narrate a number of particulars, showing how these petty marauders destroyed the'r properly, insulted their women, and bullied their men, adding to the most rflon

jstrjus acts of cruelty nr.d oppression, the

meanness o! picking locks and pulenug trj8es. It wns by no means a matter of pleasing reflection to the bearer of despaWhes,

that he must rest that night, if he rested a all, under a roof su jcled to these domiciliary visits; but he had ether causes of uneasiness. It is well known that all the inhabit' ants within the reach of an Lny1ih garrison.

who are capable of corruption, become corrupt. English gold, which is Lut a hug-bear

among the virtuous, present a tempting lure-

to the loose and unprincipled inhabitants ot

a frontier, who can scarrel) be paid to be

long to any country ; and our armies fcre limes encountered spies and traitors, wh"..e they had fondly hoped to find friends. Oc this occasion, our officer, who had incautious-. , I) placed himself under the guidance oi utrangcr, began to feel, as darkness gHlhcredaround him, that he had acted imprudently f' a& the latter could as easil) conduct him to fort Niagara at to a plate cf safety. He cod. cealed his suspicions a ad determiiied to act warily. It was dark when they reached LewistonP a little village which had been entiitly reduced to ashes by the enemy. The moon which now shone brightly, disclosed the solitary chimnies standii.g arr.id the ruir.s, the fruit trees surronnded by briar?, the retr.air.f-. of enclosures, and the nixrks of duolatu n, A more beautiful litujit en could n artf ly tc imagined, but was ro w a ildcri ?. Hera they took a pith whub led ihn from the river. A thick forest now ovt rthaifowed. them, and they proceeded in riierue, and wrapped in impenetrable daikncss, exu pl a intervals, when they reached the summit cf fthill, and the moon shot her beams through ihe branches. It was only by senicg such op portunilies to watch the progrcs,?, and mark the exact position of (his friend I) lumiuaryr that our officer, by forming some estimate of the course he was pursuing, cald judgSCOrrectlv rtf h tlH.liit. f kc

j j -- - They passed an encampment of the Tuca rora Indians, where all was dark and oilentfII (lit SiKmil tmi9tinl-it a tri m. t is . .l - f

Miiuuifiiis as 1 1 r c u as MX: UiK.XZ CJ -

oK rVnrurtiiri ma A mm

ed an ambuscade at this very spot, and just J a village, was cospoed of only two or thre.

circumstance is vouched for by two celebra

ted doctors, great amateurs in rivers, winds, and mountains, the vulgar give it no credit, and the natives den) it. Strange infatuation, that the assertions of philosophers should not be believed, in pteference to cur own erring senses and crude notions of probability! When our officer rmntioocd this story to his guide, he exclaimed, Impossible! the man's Milmly cracked!1' A-d had he-told the same individual that Dr. Mi'rhell had said that a whale was not a fieh, he would have expressed similar astonishment : -so im redulous is ignorance, so unwilling does it how to science aud research. For ant part. I make it a rule never to auarrel with a nhilosonher.

r , ,

their contemplation. Many yean ago, when all of this country was in the possession of the British, a detachment of ttoops, having; under

i the devo'cd party were passing alone the

brink of the precipice, the savage foe ro-hed en them with hideous yells. Thos nlne

who have heard th' snul thnlling cry of the

i

log cabins. To ore of these, which was dig

nified by the name of a publie house, oar tr.-uel.er was conducted by his companion, who apologized for not inviting him tt hi

l i: . i . ".. . . . i n - t

sD.iMn warrior, wno nave ncara it oreaHinf wn hoUe, owing to the lateness of the hour

'"'3 KT" c' ine n'?nu wnn " and the want of accommodations.

- "f" - - 'i v. 1Uine nom, inougn called irom his bed. and the shrieks of wmen, with the jcheerfully agisted his guest in puttine away of the d)it g, the Prajer and r.,ffM his tired horse, and then led him through

r ran conceive tne roam where three or four rough two-fisted . In vain the troops ff!ws lay bnoring with their feet to the fife,

:f-bir.

At this juncture, a despatch arrived, an-E-viiH.ii. thai General lzid had left flattslurg; i to emhatk at Sackett'f Harbor, sr d p8ie up the Uke, touch at the Etgh t4r Mi'e Crftk, whence hit course would h" -1ire.ieJ, in a grent measure, by the int; licence he received fiom (Jei eral Brown. It wv desirable, henfore, that he should m at that point, by an otHcer from fori L1 ! . hi ould ad'itn him of the exact situ8 i,. i of th, gif ison, and the relative posi ti hi an I itrenti of the two conffiuiin,? ar me. convey the ruann'jr.u aiiot-.s oi'Ge-

ntril li o.t. A ouni-' rii

srcordi s ttmnoio .

er-, a a at e le f.truc tious, TftlJiof s t -i ; I ft rd ni;it l ri- :. f:c hoir i.e - ;

thP place H

Rust coi-: n r the -I

had cn'jshufiled, and dealt, who could slip

a card and know where the trumps lay. -whh thi was minEl'rd the dullness of an il-

literate man, and ri humcr ot erfe who was

willing to be anntd, and meant no hnrm ttv others. Saving ths besetting sin above alluded te, and perhaps the cctistonal psirg of a ccunterfoit till upon strorg ten.ptat;onf a tmall matter for a Irontisr man, he mighi have kren an hcr.cst fdJow; erio who knew the cfiri tfsiJ r:.j g'-d ff.elirgj of lift, passed tha cup rocrrih, would do a neifhborlv

set when it csfn? in his wy, ricver bat hi!

W.IS to a r!:.i rr. Ilr nrv tho i.nn. a c

drenched in :.-th Evropc.tn heud the'hr declined, as well from policv as want of'

war cry. and tell that it was his appetite ; and havini- aerured ih Annr nr. J .

dreadf j

kn.ll; he received the f.tal tl,w from an n-!la d his pistds under the pillow, he gathered s.ri, hand, and had n?t the stern plea.urp cf.his cloak around him, and threw hiWlf oo bcholdiPeh.s ar.t igonisl, but fVll. without the i the bed. Frnm . i;.M.inmk..

pranfiratwn ofavenR hn death, or the ked by a low mnrmur of voice, in the apart honor cfdefe, ding his hie. Still tha foe pres-i meet below, to which the p. ecarious of Hd on; with the war.whaop was minjled hU situation induced him to listen with aa

laud shouts of triumph and the laurh

or ce- intense and thrillirr inirct tu,. - r.:-

v H1II4II.I.; oacK.'.tcp was heard upon the eluiri ascJ, the hcries,ra,ic struck, tied from tha din cfjehwlj towards his apartment, and in a m battle, and in a moment wer precipitated mont afterwards the latch was raulioM lv?4 the frU"? gUJfV m9n: I'"??! ed. He rose, seized his arms.and walk children followed, and the whole of tin on- ed across the flour; the footstep rHired th

i " "r ' .- w-.Te- vci4.es ceased below. and all wa i ei.t. (In,

life as dearly as other men.

attributing to him on this

where the water roes lound r.nidlv-and;oo that b fu ,,.

r - . v. . . ibijic niiiiciY lui ijm liitiinr.

A iU-. .

"It ii said,'1 continued the informer, "that jfrfficer loved his lit spirits may still be t-een of a n.oet-.l:ght night, cut it will only he Ainciny; in circles i i y. under whirling place!tJfCaion the feelini

naw,-sec there! what is that?" The officer

leaked in the direction designated by the tin r?r of hit enrrtnaninn. and heheld blnrV k

He when he was sober, nor trojMed hjjCt in the whirlpool, rising a foot or two a-

at d the success ol his missiop.

His broken slumbers yielded but little re fihment during the remainder rf ibp nirrkt .

and before the first grey tlreak illumit aud.

S vil.lt f i.ee."

ic TV (;f 'in r ,t

J . ..:i.-i. lm niici 1 - f:" "-T Urv tt.r Rtirl.irt nl Hie walPi. i irrnlnlnw :rR i

rH,raurJnrrs3th?t leaM wa3 the estimate whic! cur piJr with it. aud .raduaUr 1. C luu.V.'. ""J "C and forth

; ;cu,!i;c;,Srv,,,eil!,s;;1ief formed cf hi- common, i.l9nrc, wntil it w as .waUowcioYhV VoV f r" V i.- j v..-t r.it ..g th-ir eebssr4ot:it rule tor; i!,er, to whuhi JI roiSd eatilv imagine that the lr- UrM n wcj..,i,t breathed tne tree air. ; ,.j :-.y ,r ,: oflly RM ti,t he tt cnifd otlTee, boating dowh thei' en t j f;-iriJJl,'" T'x n-nd mounting ' :'V V ; t:-'T t 'cr.t!y Krtd frnn U hl be draw, into the pool, and wh.rhS'wl wl-'J J l'-T' T7'1 l' 9,0,, V :j rcrcf- a-jv t -?V9 aits-: ncd t;.Sl r rails- tA I .ks .U- ' . KC' X'- 1 hl9 loud ha 0.

i ... r O, 4-r r;.!, L . . i.u.myui ie waier. migrt4rrf-r:scd io 5nJ his :--t i: lb t,wu

rili . ;r,il.i ..u fa 4iume an upright portion, and present the ma 'V 1-1 - U 1 i , . ?,t- "' s- -'po'ite cirrk lv the r,hrasc....a Wills hi.-h." Lr... LiIk t,. a .w Li.. !?;. .ln ."W U- l'" ''Tted demand to

I he li r .'.-.il ma-

rv-.fs.l it.. . I. . t : 1 l . .i.i

.vcvj ii-i mtf, u.i.-M ihuich.cu me route, snd reiiiin.i;:i his envoy tint there hare Jy ti-ne enoiish I. ft to accomplish the jour cey by m ,t rapid ridine. wished him a

plesaot jaant. The beir- r f despatches, crossing an arm jf the lake irh beparatrs fort Erie from TiutTalo, r. t m d to the quailer mister to procure h m sc-, a ni being we'l mounted, departed early i t the afierneon of the same iiy. Twi r.mies were presented to his

Cnotre; th

-i-n li' iw'. i-.uit erorituiivrf -i, l;.- ... .

o. - I iitii itp.I rarli ":Ver with fia rn?. !;m

ill... I I. 1.. I L .

HUH IV UK. II ! tSti.'UI JlrtBI U Ul IWI'tlft Cil lilgert who met in those dangerous (inws iu the vicinity of the hostile armies. The Cautious qui: t nn, and the guarded answer passed mutually, until each had learned as much as he could and disclosed as much as he pleased. Our officer announced himself as a storekeeper, who had been to the army to make a traffic with the settlers having failed in which, he wa? now returning home in haste,

oy a mule which he was told was much near

th!re; the ..ne wai the rain raad which led'er than the raahi road, and wished to eet that ty Batam, ai d was too circuitous to be night lo a place called . The" counr?!ijD tbe alloiied t.me; he nhr fr,min ter nt (bit tery place, wai ow go-

r.pearance lnch r.li-mrd the mhabitacf.

and gave probability to their conjectures. I am glad to add, however, that he had ihe di-cretio i to conceal his scepticism from his follow traveller, to whose remark he gravely replied: "That human bodies when not de cently buried .seldom retted in peace, but 1 1... . I. I 1 . i i r . i .

mni :rt- iiitu ptier iieara o, ineir aoing anv-!

harm. His companion assented to the trulh ef this sagaricus r.rurtk, od tf:-y rufsaed

their journey . The.fie comers.?:; haviitf! ha::!rhed re

serve, and Ihe companions begiuni:g loer)wlger behind, into confidence with each other, the officer I

ventured to inqorrt how near their route led The calm p.esence of a sublime mind

w . ;, f "-"'Mtu uiai iney musi spires venerniion, excites pri nt ,railvf pa?a WLiihi a ihort dtanr0 of that fortress, noble seotvmenti in the wi. good.

...3 I.-S

. J

friend -liaf i Hi'.iu f.?d tht h

CO, !t'S M i rein. A' at the tb compary

piece rl i, ftruck the :

and d.ishf

f ,-i-c forward, laid hie

o, Hands eff, my ''"j ' my horse it tick -Alight, sir, alight!-'.

', '.n;t i.ike n Jram befoie you v mn.ii.g-v. and siill held the' i!S i'.if.fncnt other faces appeared ; the .,;U er liked neither their or li:c.r i icks, toid dronninp a-

. . .. . e

i;y

a! the landlords feet, hei Ui the side of his steed, a aili.j, having ail dna VILLAGE bEAU.

Hrrcy